Contract Manager - St Albans

️🏢🚨 We’re Hiring: Contract Manager 🚨🏢⚙️

📍 St Albans, Hertfordshire

💷 £50,000 per annum

🕒 Monday – Friday | Hybrid Working

📅 12-Month Maternity Cover | Excellent Potential for Permanent Position

🏢 Multi-Site Facilities Management | UK-Wide Portfolio

We’re looking for an experienced Contract Manager to join a professional Facilities Management team, managing service delivery across a large UK-wide portfolio of over 100 sites.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Contract Manager, Facilities Manager or FM professional who has strong experience managing subcontractors, service partners, SLAs and client relationships.

🔧 The role will have responsibility for managing subcontractor performance, ensuring contractual obligations and SLAs are achieved, and providing strong operational oversight across a geographically dispersed portfolio.

👥 You’ll manage a team of four Contract Support professionals who oversee the helpdesk and subcontractor administration, while taking overall responsibility for service delivery and contractor performance.

📅 The position is initially offered as a 12-month maternity cover, with a very strong expectation of becoming a permanent opportunity.

🔧 What You’ll Be Doing:

🏢 Taking overall responsibility for contract and facilities management across a UK-wide portfolio of approximately 100+ sites.

👥 Managing and supporting four direct reports within the Contract Support team.

🛠️ Overseeing a large network of subcontractors and specialist service providers.

📋 Ensuring subcontractors consistently deliver services within agreed SLAs, KPIs and contractual requirements.

🤝 Building and maintaining strong working relationships with key subcontractors and service partners.

📅 Holding regular performance meetings with subcontractors to review service delivery, performance, issues and improvement actions.

🔥 Managing weekly performance meetings with boiler/heating contractors.

🚨 Holding regular meetings with fire alarm contractors to review compliance, performance and outstanding actions.

📊 Monitoring contractor performance, identifying recurring issues and ensuring corrective actions are implemented.

🔍 Using your technical knowledge to challenge subcontractors, question proposed solutions and ensure works are being delivered appropriately.

⚙️ Providing technical oversight without needing to be a fully qualified engineer, ensuring contractors are providing suitable and cost-effective solutions.

📞 Working closely with the helpdesk and Contract Support team to ensure reactive maintenance issues are managed effectively.

📑 Reviewing reports, service records, compliance information and contractor documentation.

📈 Monitoring KPIs, SLAs and overall contract performance, taking action where standards are not being achieved.

🤝 Attending weekly meetings with key client stakeholders to discuss performance, service delivery, issues and upcoming requirements.

💬 Building strong relationships with senior client contacts and regional stakeholders.

🚨 Escalating operational, technical or contractual issues where appropriate and ensuring timely resolution.

💷 Supporting commercial management, quotations, variations and contractor costs as required.

📋 Ensuring statutory compliance and maintenance requirements are being appropriately managed across the portfolio.

🔄 Identifying opportunities for continuous improvement, improved contractor performance and enhanced service delivery.

🏠 Working from the office approximately 2–3 days per week, with flexibility around the working pattern.

🚗 No routine travel to the individual sites is required, despite responsibility for a UK-wide portfolio.

👨‍💼 What We’re Looking For:

🏢 Proven experience as a Contract Manager, Facilities Manager, FM Manager, Service Manager or similar within Facilities Management.

🤝 Strong experience managing subcontractors and third-party service providers.

📊 Proven experience managing SLAs, KPIs and contractor performance.

👥 Previous experience managing a team and providing leadership to support functions.

⚙️ A good level of technical knowledge across building services, engineering or facilities management.

🔍 The confidence and technical understanding to challenge contractors, question recommendations and ensure appropriate solutions are being provided.

🛠️ You do not need to be a fully qualified engineer, but you must have enough technical understanding to hold meaningful conversations with engineering subcontractors.

📋 Strong understanding of planned and reactive maintenance, statutory compliance and facilities management services.

💬 Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build effective relationships at all levels.

🤝 Confident managing regular contractor performance meetings and holding suppliers accountable for service delivery.

📈 Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple contractors, priorities and contractual requirements.

💻 IT literate with good experience using CAFM, helpdesk, reporting or facilities management systems.

🧠 Commercially aware with the ability to understand costs, quotations, variations and contractual requirements.

🎯 Results-driven and proactive, with a strong focus on service quality, performance and continuous improvement.

⭐ Desirable:

🎓 Relevant Facilities Management, Building Services or Engineering qualification.

📜 IWFM, BIFM or equivalent FM qualification.

⚡ Electrical, Mechanical, HVAC or Building Services knowledge/qualification.

🦺 IOSH, NEBOSH or equivalent Health & Safety qualification.

🏢 Experience managing large, geographically dispersed FM contracts.

📊 Experience managing complex subcontractor networks and multiple service agreements.

💼 Previous experience working within a multi-site or national Facilities Management environment.

💼 What’s On Offer:

💷 £50,000 per annum

📅 12-month maternity cover with an excellent opportunity for a permanent position

🕒 Monday – Friday working hours.

🏠 Hybrid working, with approximately 2–3 days per week in the office.

🏢 Office-based team located in the St Albans area.

🏋️ Access to wellbeing and gym facilities.

🌍 Responsibility for a substantial UK-wide portfolio without the requirement for routine site travel.

👥 Leadership responsibility for a team of four Contract Support professionals.

🤝 Significant responsibility for subcontractor management and service delivery.

⚙️ Opportunity to use your technical knowledge in a senior contract management position.

📈 Excellent potential for long-term career progression and a permanent position.

🔒 Stable opportunity within a large-scale Facilities Management operation.

🚨 If you're an experienced Contract Manager, Facilities Manager or FM professional with strong subcontractor management experience and enough technical knowledge to confidently challenge engineering contractors, we'd love to hear from you